Station-indicator



(No Model.)

H. R. WESTERVELT.

STATION INDICATOR. No. 348,366. Patented Aug. 31, 1886.

x. x CD 2- m a: E z c r1 I U7 0 f! fl UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

HENRY R. IVESTER-VELI, OF TAUGI-IANNOOK FALLS, NEW YORK.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,366 dated August 31886.

Application filed May 10, 1886. Serial No. 201,654.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. WEsTER- VELT, of Taughannock Falls, in thecounty of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Station-Indicators; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to devices hung in railroad-cars to indicatesuccessive stations on the road, and is of that kind where a canvas orapron is used which winds on rollers,the canvas or apron having on itsface the printed names of the successive stations,which are displayed asthe mechanism is turned which holds the apron.

The-invention relates to the means for operating the device in eitherdirection conveniently, also the means for making the apron taut andstraight as it is operated, all as hereinafter described.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of the indicator, portionsbeing broken away to show the internal mechanism. Fig. 2 is averticaljcross-section of same on line 00 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anenlarged section of the lower sprocket-wheel and the key by which it isturned to operate the apron. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the samesprocket-wheel,looking at right angles, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view ofthe key. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of same on line 3 y of Fig. 3. Fig. 7is a side elevation showing the engagement of the key with the lowerwinding roller and sprocket wheel. Fig. 8 is an elevation of one of thebrakes resting over the journal of one of the windingrollers.

A indicates a boX or case which contains the operating parts, and is ofany desired form and construction, being, however, preferably soarranged that it is portable and can be changed from one end of the carto the other and hung up in plain view of the passengers.

B is the canvas or apron on which the stations of the road are printedin successive order.

0 is a frame which holds the canvas and its operating mechanism, and canbe inserted in and removed from the case A at pleasure, being securedfast to the case,when inserted, by any desired means. The means shown isa (No model.)

hook at the top of frame O,that engages with an eye or staple in case A,the bottom of the frame resting loosely in the case and being held bythe outer door or plate.

D D are two winding-rollers-one at the bottom and the other at thetop-to which the ends of the canvas are attached. \Vhen the canvas windsup on one roller it unwinds from the other, and vice versa.

E E are small guiding-rollersone at the bottom and the other at thetoplocated outside the rollers D D, and around which the canvas passesto bring itin a vertical line close to the front face of the case A.

My improvement is as follows: On one side of the case are twosprocket-wheels,G Gone at the bottom and the other at the topthe upperone attached fast to the journal of the roller D, the lower one turningfree on the journal of roller D.

H is an endless chain or band that passes around and connects the twosprocket-wheels, so that when one is turned corresponding motion will beimparted to the other. By this means the two winding-rollers receivemotion, as will be more fully described.

On the opposite side of the case are two brakes, I I-one at the bottomand the other at the topconsisting of concave feet a a, that bear on thejournals K K of the rollers D D, shanks c c, that pass through bearingsd d of the frame, and springs ff, that press against the feet andproduce friction on the journals. The object of this arrangement is toproduce such tension on the rollers D D as will prevent them fromslipping. The journal K of the lower winding-roller, D, projects outwardsome distance on one side, and has cross-pins b b near its end, as shownmost clearly in Figs. 3 and 7. The lower sprocket-wheel, G, has a hub,9, that turns freely on this journal.

L is a key for turning the sprocket-wheel. It consists of a cylindricalbody like a clockkey, with a crank, 71, at one end. The key has acentral opening, 13, with two side slots, z" z", to slip over the end ofthe shaft K and take in the pins 1) 1). Inside the slotted opening is acylindrical opening, 70, of the same diameter as the side slots, whichallows the key to turn free on the journal and around the pins when thepins are in line therewith. The end of the key and the end of the hub ofthe sprocket-wheel are notched, as shown in Fig. 7, forming a clutchwhen theparts are together.

To wind the canvas up, the key L is inserted on the shaft K, bringingthe clutch in connection with the hub of the sprocket-wheel, in whichcondition the pins 6 b turn free in the cylindrical opening 70, andmotion is imparted to the upper sprocket-wheel, G, the lower one runningloose. The lower sprocketwheel then acts simply as a driver to the upperone through the medium of the chain, and as the upper sprocket-wheel isfast to its shaft, corresponding motion will be imparted to the roller Dto wind up the apron.

To turn the lower roller and leave the upper one stationary, the key isslipped outward into the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3, whichbrings the cross-pins b 1) into the slots 13 iand disconnects theclutch, in which case the key will turn the lower roller only and willgive no motion to the sprocket-wheel, as it is disconnected therefrom.By this means the canvas can be turned in either direction to correspondwith the direction in which the train runs. This arrangement forreleasing one roller while the other turns is necessary to keep thelength of the canvas straight in the front of the case, as there is aninequality in the size of the windingrollers, owing to winding up on oneand unwinding from the other, which would either produce strain or slackin the main length. By this means as the canvas winds up on one itunwinds from the other without any impediment. In this connection, also,the brakes I I are essential to apply the necessary tension and preventunwinding too freely. The case A has a front plate with glass sectionsat the top and a hinged door, N, at the bottom. On the top section aremarked the words The next station. The middle section is transparent,and the name of the next station can be seen through it. The lowerhinged door, N, which covers a portion of the canvas, is opened beforeany station is reached where a change is to be made,and exposes wordsindicating the change. The indicator is to be operated by the train-manor some other attendant. As an illustration, the upper section in thedrawings shows the words The next station. The middle section shows thename Home as the next station. The lower section, under the hinged door,shows the words Change cars for \Vatertown.

P is a shelf on which a lamp is placed at night to illuminate theinterior. The canvas is made transparent, and the light shining throughthe same, the names are as visible as by daylight.

R is a bell on which an alarm is sounded on moving the canvas to changethe name of the station. This alarm may be operated by any well-knownmeans, that shown in the drawings being ahammer, z, vibrated by comwiththe side of the, sprocketthe names of stations marked thereon, a

sprocket-wheel attached fast to the shaft of one of the rollers, acorresponding sprocketwheel resting loosely on the shaft of the otherroller, an endless chain or belt connecting said sprocket-wheels, andmeans for connecting and disconnecting the loose sprocketwheel with andfrom its roller, substantially as described.

2. In a station-indicator, the combination of two winding-rollers, acanvas attached at its ends to the said rollers and having the names ofstations marked thereon, a sprocketwheel attached fast to the shaft ofone of the rollers, a corresponding sprocket-wheel resting loosely onthe shaft of the other roller, an endless chain or band connecting saidsprocket-wheels, and a key capable of being engaged with and givingmotion to the loose sprocketwheel when pushed in, and disengagedtherefrom and being engaged with the shaft'of the roller when drawn out,as herein set forth.

3. In a station-indicator consisting of two winding-rollers, a canvasconnecting them, sprocket-wheels on the ends of the rollers, and a chainrunning on the sprocket-wheels, the combination, with the shaft of thelower winding-roller, provided with cross-pins, and with thesprocket-wheel resting loosely thereon, of the key provided with aslotted opening in front and a cylindrical opening in the rear, and witha clutch at its end, whereby, when pushed in, it engages with and givesmotion to the sprocket-wheel, and when drawn outward it disengages fromthe sprocket-wheel and engages with the shaft, as set forth.

4. In a station-indicator, the combination of the two winding-rollers,the canvas attached to the rollers, the sprocket wheels, one attachedfast to the shaft of its roller, the other turning loosely thereon, theendless chain connecting the rollers, and the brakes applied to thejournals of the wind ing-rollers, as and for the purpose specified. V

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

H. R. WESTERVELT.

Witnesses:

It. F. OSGOOD, P. A. OosTIoH.

